Report Warns CMS Specialty Model Risks Rural Specialist Access
A report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, released Oct. 27, finds CMS's mandatory Ambulatory Specialty Model could cut access to specialty care for Medicare beneficiaries with low back pain and heart failure, particularly in rural areas. The model, set to begin January 2027, requires over 5,500 specialists including cardiologists, orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons to participate, with Part B payment adjustments of up to 12% by 2033 based on performance scores. The report warns that in nearly a third of the 235 covered areas, which are entirely rural, losing even one assigned specialist could force patients to travel over an hour for care. CMS reaffirmed plans to launch the model in the proposed 2027 physician fee schedule, with a final rule expected by year's end.